


A glitch in T I M E

by Eye_of_Purgatory



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Hogwarts Inter-House Rivalries, Knights of Walpurgis, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Mystery, Obsessive Tom Riddle, Politics, Riddle at Hogwarts Era, Slow Burn, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-14 16:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21018761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eye_of_Purgatory/pseuds/Eye_of_Purgatory
Summary: A mysterious new slytherin student shows up in the time of Tom Riddle, but with the strange happenings and mysterious situations surrounding him he unknowingly attracts the attention of the higher players on the stage of Hogwarts.Will his actions cause an inter house war on the scale that Hogwarts has never seen?





	1. Eyes turn to him

“Taking interest, Tom? You could do better.” Abraxas says cheerfully in almost a teasing tone, drawing my eyes to his almost with an involuntary glare, but he notices as he always does with a sharp look of terror.

“Whatever do you mean Abraxas?” I ask with a tone sweet, though Alphard and Lestrange still discreetly scoot back from their positions right next to me. Rosier grins mildly, at which Avery flicks him for, with both of them focusing their eyes back on me.

“You were staring-I mean observing- that student over there. Should we investigate him for you?” Abraxas says quickly, almost bowing, though that would be far too dangerous under the watchful eye of Dumbledore.

“Who Is he,” I cast a quick glance at the boy, watching as he whispers to himself rapidly, “I should recognize the faces of my fellow slytherins, no matter how. Insignificant.” I look to Lestrange almost on instinct.

“Transfer student, Mudblood.” He states, casting a quick glance at the kid's face, “Possibly the illegitimate child of some family, would you like me to investigate that further, sir?” The word makes me want to smile most evil, though I simply tap on the table once. The signal passes, and I want to make him pay for casting possible suspicion, perhaps I will. 

“No matter, we can talk about this more back in the common room, I am interested in the subject make sure to gather more of him. Do you know anything else Abraxas?” Alphard throws a mild glare at Orion, most likely due to Orion’s heirship, or the fact Orion still refuses to join us despite Alphard’s insistence.

“No offense, but it is not worth looking into him. He should be in hufflepuff, some poor excuse for a slytherin, spending our entire care of magical creatures class trying to befriend Gryffindors like some cretin.” Abraxas says, grimacing as we watch the other student greet the social outcast Myrtle, “Look, he is doing it again, associating with that pigeon.”

“Most likely, though I will not risk him being more than he appears.” I stand, attracting the gaze of many throughout the hall as I walk down the path. I wonder if any of them know of the Slytherin King, that he is me, though guessing at the gazes of lust and admiration one would claim no.

Charlus Potter glares at me, causing the glare of Septimus Weasley and Ignatius Prewett to follow. Minerva looks up from a book near the trio with a sheepish smile, which I return as one laced with charm, but that will only bring about the ire of the reds. I plan to go to the library but the heavy weight of some very familiar eyes follow me as I walk, so I take a turn to the black lake as I walk out.

She follows me the way there, keeping her near painful gaze on me in a way that turns my stomach to knots and question my actions, though I walk out in the open when she does not. I perch on the rock, waiting for her to see the right time to arrive. The form at the Hogwarts gates still watches me, her moonshine white hair standing out against the dark grey of the stone, though when the fog blankets her, the form disappears.

After a few moments the thin form of an albino snake slithers onto my hand, to which I raise to eye level. She curls in a way so that she can raise the upper half of her body in the air, though she is only a few inches long.

_ Have you found the information I asked for Riddle? If you prove to be timely perhaps so will I _ . She hisses, before glaring in almost an expectant manner.

_ You first Rowena. I asked a much more, unlikely, request for you to find. And as I have already given you information, I would demand some in return. _

_ It is well within my bounds Riddle, do not underestimate the power of the Ravenclaw Court, or you will face her wrath. Though you have a point, and I am sure you will enjoy the information we found. _

_ Which is? _

_ The chamber of Slytherin is real. If you manage to enter and retrieve some of the books we may offer you some even higher favors. Now, for the information about our newest target? _

_ The favors I expect will be quite high if you truly manage that, I am the only option you have, and you know that your lizard speak isn’t true parseltongue. I am working on your new target, Hadrian Evans wasn’t it? _

_ Yes, Athena herself is invested in this, and we wouldn’t want a Hogwarts house war, would we? She only expects you to know the secrets of one of your own subjects, this is not too much to ask. _

_ I will have the information soon, I wouldn’t want to offend Athena, would I? Perhaps we should meet in person to discuss some of the finer details of this new union between our houses, peace is so much better than war isn’t it Rowena? _

_ Athena is not ready to reveal herself to any of the snakes, you must understand this as a King yourself.  _ And with those words she slides away, disappearing into the heavy fog, the only evidence of her return to human form is the movement of the doors seen from far away.

  * Later at night

In an empty hallway, in an empty wing, on an empty floor I stand alone. The airy cool burns into my toes through the layer of my boots, I cast glances around myself before tapping four times on the thirteenth brick up from the bottom, with a smooth shimmer the wall becomes as is the platform 9 ¾.

When I enter Lestrange hands me a folded piece of parchment, which I quickly pocket. The rest of the knights are staring at me in silence. I take my place at the center of the room, walking with eyes on me from silent people.

“The Dark arts, can be used, can be harnessed. They are tools, and the rest of magic is, even though the stupider ones in our society attempt to ban them, we can utilize the advantage to show them our own power.” My speech continues, drawing in hungry eyes that just want to fit in in a world that tries to hurt them for what their families are. They flock to me, like a bee to nectar, like a moth to light, like a cow to the slaughterhouse, though none of them can see the harm they bring to themselves. 

“Today you will be using the nerve burning curse.” I say, taking out my wand as everybody starts to stare with fear, “This curse Adrenti Nervum causes all of the nerves in one’s body to burn, and if used for long enough to cause permanent numbing. This curse is a close cousin of the cruciatus curse, though the main difference between these two is that the cruciatus curse affects the mind, causing the most intense pain possible by over stimulating the pain centers of the brain. This curse targets the pan centers in the body, which lets the mind remain intact as the body feels as if burning in hellfire.”

The Knights line up in the individual dueling areas, raising their wands towards each other without question. Lestrange does not though, standing near me as the rest fall to pairs, observing the rest at my side.

“You may hold your opponent under the curse for no longer than twenty seconds, and with that, fire.” After a few tense moments the first scream erupts from the far end of the room, Avery writhes on the floor with a disgusting amount of weeping and crying. Abraxas stands over him with eyes blown wide, and we all watch as the timer ticks down to 0, at which Abraxas reluctantly lets up.

Lestrange tenses at my side, as if he expects me to fire the curse at him next, though I resist the urge and instead mutter to him, “I need to discuss the information you just gave to me.” Lestrange nods, and follows me back to the sitting room area without hesitation. As he watches I unravel the parchment given to me.

**Hadrian James Evans**

**Year : 5**

**Claimed Mudblood - Claims homeschooling by wizard stepfather**

**Suspected illegitimate - Visually similar to Charlus Potter, but higher similarity to Charlus’ uncle Fleamont**

**Low Skill - Average scores in all classes except for Care of Magical creatures, at which he excels**

**Classes: **

**Transfiguration : A**

**Defense : A**

**Potions : A**

**Herbology : A**

**Charms : A**

**Care of Magical Creatures: E (Classmates claim his skill, though assignments not turned in.)**

**Runes : E (Classmates report that he tries in this class, but has little skill)**

**Divination : A**

**Alliances / Attempted Alliances: Rubeus Hagrid, Charlus Potter, Myrtle Warren, Minerva McGonagall**

**Hatstall - 13 minutes**

**Activities:**

**5:00 class ends**

**5:05 walks around campus**

**5:10 stares at Quidditch Pitch**

**6:45 starts to sing**

**7:00 enters library**

**7:02 reads book on animagi**

**7:43 puts away book on animagi**

**7:56 enters Gryffindor dormitories**

“Does he stare at the Quidditch pitch for 95 minutes Lestrange?” I ask, more bewildered than disbelieving, this whole report is mildly strange.

“I-h” Lestrange furrows his eyebrows, biting his lip, “I don’t remember.”

“Do you mind If I check for myself, Lestrange?” We pause for a moment, as the cacophony of screams becomes too much to talk over, in a way that makes me want to scream in joy.

“Of course not sir.” He stutters, closing his eyes for a moment in concentration before opening them to me, I look at his face before diving into the memory like a diver to molasses.

**I feel myself tingle under the disillusionment charm, footsteps falling perfectly in line to the ones of the man in front of me. The other walks about 20 meters ahead, and very slowly at that.**

**Hadrian sits down, and my head moves to check a pocket watch, taking note of this act. Evans watches something, but stays as still as a statue. I sit down as well after a few moments. **

**My eyes get surprisingly heavy, but I keep them open, staring until I cannot anymore. When I blink the heaviness recedes, and a soft tone comes from the target.**

**I check my watch to write down this behavior, the time reading 6:45. I feel the mind I inhabit try to think back to what happened, but only remembers a few short minutes. A haze of confusion pasees over until I can feel the mind forget about that strange occurrence. **

**When I look up the target is staring at me directly in the eyes, with ones of chilling green.**

  * The next day

In the slytherin common room I lounge around, strategically close to Hadrian Evans who sits silently and reads a muggle novel. Watching as people gather for the mandatory meetings every morning. Everybody sits around, and the Slytherin Courtier of second year waltzes in. Thesius Parkinson holds his head high, carrying the next one of my orders to pin to the board. Pining a note that simply says:

**All Students in OWL or NEWT years must attend mandatory tutoring if their class grades are Acceptable or Less**

“This is a decree directly from King Cobra himself. You will do well to all follow it.” Parkinson states in an almost boasting manner, walking off to the chairs himself silently. The students around us whisper questions, wondering who the slytherin king is and why he might do this.

For the novelty I lean over to Hadrian, “Who do you think Cobra is?” I whisper, close enough to smell a faint burning or charring.

“If It’s anyone it’s you Riddle.” He mutters, not even looking up from his book, but holding a bookmark out of his pocket now.

“Whyever would you claim that, I hear that most of the Kings are ones with family connections.” I whisper, but my heart beats unnaturally fast and near painful.

“I may be stupid Riddle, but I am not blind.” He says with a heavily biting tone, then stands up, leaving. After a few moments to make sure that he doesn’t notice me I follow as he walks to the library. The parchment with my new notes weights heavy in my pocket.

A boy with curly brown hair walks up to me in the hallway, and I recognize his face immediately. He is the former king of the ravens, Augul Caesarium, when he walks by me I slip the parchment into his hand, and he leaves quickly.

I follow Evans to the library, where he checks out the textbooks and starts to do piles upon piles of homework with strange efficiency. I check out some of the books on transfiguration to read as I watch him. Nothing strange happens, nothing out of place, no reason why Athena would want to watch him.

No reason at all.


	2. The anger of a bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry acts strange / Tom and Rowena come in to conflict when tom's goals and instincts of recruiting people outshines Rowena's plan for intelligence.

“Why don’t you join the Slytherin court Orion, you have far more influence than that young cousin of yours, don’t you? If I had the option I surely would.” I say in the most casual way my voice allows while sitting down next to the other student, watching as the seventh year lets out an unseemly sigh.

“That’s a strange way to get close to me Riddle, what if I had cared of my dear cousin? Then I may of had to carry out on a blood feud, and I would rather not. I am sure you would quite rather not as well.” He looks at me disinterested before glancing back to Alphard, watching the boy loudly argue with his sister.

“Oh my, is that an insult to my dueling skills, as I can assure I am quite competent on that front.” With a quick snap of my fingers the water glass he is holding transfigures to a small glass figurine of myself.

“I would not dare do that Riddle, though that brings me precisely back to the reason that I refuse to join the court. Alphard must have put you up to this, and I do truly feel sorry for you that you must deal with being friends with such a person. Though I must warn you of the conditions of that court if you do truly want to join. Don’t let Alphard lure you away with dreams of greatness and magical superiority.”

“Why does the subject of my dueling bring you back to the subject?” I ask, voice dripping with false innocence and confusion.

“The court probably wants some easily influenced young blood, a thug or two to keep up their plans.” My ears perk, “But they do hurt their members, Alphard twitches like the symptoms of the cruciatus after some of those meetings. Even he doesn’t deserve that, and you deserve it even less.” I feel stunned to silence that somebody would even mention that, more than that that the black heir cares about me being victim of the cruciatus.

“You musn’t believe that Orion, it is truly absurd. Why wouldn’t the people inside the court just leave?” I ask, but want to cackle at the underlying of my words.

“I don’t know Riddle, but back off from all this drama. Stick with the slug club.”

“Can you help me with that?” I ask.

“Riddle.” He sighs exasperated, and moves to stand up before I grab his arm. The gaze of Dumbledore burns into my back with all the fire and passion that the gryffindor head of house possess.

“Please.”

“I-h’ He looks at my face, “I guess so.” He sighs, “I have to get to the Quidditch game now Riddle, I’m not abandoning you.” He mutters, before walking out of the hall. Alphard glances at me, but the rest of the Knights mutter to him until he stops.

Rowena catches my eye again, her ones a piercing blue. She walks to me, as the great hall clears before the Quidditch game, and suddenly everybody is gone with her standing there. A thought passes over me that without much she could kill me, just a passing thought, but that proves to be a passing thought as well.

‘Follow me.’ She projects to the gates of my mental castle, of the barrier of my occlumency. I follow her to the very edge of the Quidditch pitch, the grassy null where the game can be seen but just barely. She sits down and I take a place next to her.

“Did you know that Hadrian is the seeker for Slytherin?” She whispers, a voice with a sibiant tone that viscerally reminds me of home, I wonder if she knows that and is using it against me subtly.

“Then why is this your request for this?” I ask, feeling the light and bouncy magic around Rowena that is seemingly sharpened into deadly points. My magic flows out like molasses to match hers, covering the spikes with black blankets.

“That was just our cursory profile for the student. Black hair, green eyes, medium height, transfer student, dubious heritage, Slytherin seeker. That is all we truly knew, the rest was just speculations, when I first saw the case I assumed that the bad information was due to the poor work of our first year courtiers.” She breathes in, turning her spiked magic to a barrier instead of knives.

“Then what was it?” I ask, frustration rising in a way that nearly burns my heart, a impulse to just grab the student and demand answers is overwhelming for just a moment before the rational part of my mind beats it back with ruthless strength.

“Quit interrupting Tom” Something stings at her using my given name, “Athena found out I was investigating the student myself and became intrigued, but when I also came back with nothing something in her snapped. The boy is nothing of a person, no interests, no hobbies, no friends. Nothing notable, not even a speck of family history, not a single thing about him that leads the people around him to even remember bits and pieces.” She huffs, staring off into the distance as one of the people flying turns straight downwards, then the crowd erupts in cheers, “He didn’t even start playing Quidditch until I asked him about hobbies.”

“Athena doesn’t take nicely to anything less than omniscience.” She says, turning her eyes downward in something so close to pity it makes me want to throw her off the nearest broomstick. She looks back up to me, “In a way I am almost glad that you didn’t find out anything, If you did then that would mean I am a subpar advisor.”

“You mentioned that she snapped?” I ask quietly, masking with kindness and a touch of polite. The magic moves off of her, and covers me instead.

“Cursing anyone with subpar information, screaming at everyone, physical attacking. That was the first day, now she just retreats into the library so nobody can address her problems without revealing her. Evans is hiding something and she can’t accept that she doesn’t know it.” She looks around at the pitch, “I need to go, nobody can see us near each other.”

-

I stand outside watching the end of the care of magical creatures class, Abraxas notices me and keeps looking back. Hadrian has positioned himself near the red trio, and seems to be talking to them. The teacher dismisses them, sending the students right to me as they walk back to the classroom, just as I planned. 

I walk out to meet the elusive boy, but just bump into the red trio. When I look around Hadrian is nowhere in sight, but Charlus looks at me with an intense ire.

“What are you planning Riddle” He growls, holding his wand in a tight grip, a mild satisfaction washes over me at the fact that he has to look up to meet me in the eyes.

“Nothing Potter, I am simply looking for my good friend Abraxas, now If I may be on my way.” I bow and move to walk away but am stopped by a hand on my arm, looking up to see the face of Septimus Weasley.

“He asked what you are planning Riddle.” Septimus states as it is the most obvious thing in the world, taking out his wand as well but in a far less threatening way.

“Harry is asking for our protection, he claims that people are following him around and strongly suggests your involvement.” Ignatius says calmly, pursing his lips at his friends, “We didn’t exactly believe him. And now it seems like we should.”

“Of course I am not stalking another student, are you daft?” I ask incredulously, “ This is just a coincidence, I am looking for Abraxas and need to promptly talk about our defense essays.” I feel myself say, but Abraxas is nowhere to be seen and the rest of the class has already left.

“We shouldn’t trust this snake.” Weasley growls, but Charlus sighs.

“I am offended, I just come out here to talk to my friend and get harassed by a pile of lions?” I put up my hands in a defense position, but the magic around me forms a barrier, “It’s almost as if you have a bias.” Charlus seems to try to pat down his hair, but it just fluffs more in a way that makes him look like an angry cat.

“I’d rather not get the entirety of slytherin on our case Septimus, you know how they are. But know that you are on thin ice Riddle, I take Harry’s side on this. You’re always planning something and I need to stop trusting you Riddle, don’t prove me right.” Charlus mutters in a disappointed tone, leading the rest of his friends away to the castle while leaving me alone.

-

I check the clock, it’s 7:43, a full thirteen minutes after Hadrian was supposed to show up due to the order I gave out just days ago. Today the goal is to ‘tutor him on defense’, but Rowena insisted on tagging along to hear and see his actions, taking her animagi form as a thin snake in my pocket.

_ Strange, I would expect him to be early as to not defy the slytherin king _

_ He must have some ambition, why else would he be a snake. _

_ Your report said Hatstall, perhaps he begged for slytherin like some small child. I, of course, don’t understand the appeal. _

“Sorry ‘m late.” I hear from the door of this secluded library room, looking up to see a strange view. Hadrian’s clothes are torn in different places, his forehead is bleeding through bandages that he put over them, and he sports large angry looking bruises poking through the collar of his robes that he quite obviously tried to hide.

_ Ask him what happened _

“Evans, what happened to you?” I ask with worry that is almost genuine. My eyes scan over the skinned patches and countless scrapes, watching as a drop of blood escapes the bandages and falls onto his nose.

“Offered to get a first year’s cat off the roof.” He mumbles, pulling a large essay and textbook out of his bag, letting it thump to the table ungracefully. I catch a peek at the atrocious writing, catching the name ‘Defense: Duelling Practices’.

_ Some cat. He’s lying, im sure of it. _

“Must have been some cat.” I say in an awed and disbelieving tone, trying to catch the essence of the ‘puff’s speaking habits which Evans seems to hold.

_ Wow, such eloquence _

“Bloody demon of a thing, clawed at me the whole time on the broom, and obviously I wasn’t going to go on foot.” He sighs, pulling out a few quills and bottles of ink, before looking at me quizzically with the muttered words of, “Aren’t you supposed to be tutoring me?”

_ Why didn’t he go to the hospital wing. _

“Just trying to make some small talk, you aren’t going to learn much if you keep being so tense around me.” I say with a smile, and something burns when I catch a small smile back out of the corner of my eye.

_ Riddle ask him. _

I ignore the frenzied hissing coming from my breast pocket to read Hadrian’s essay over his shoulder.

_ Riddle he deflected your question. _

“What are your weak points on this essay? I can help you revise them!” I say cheerfully, and watch as Evan’s hand twitching as he starts to write something down.

_ Tom! Evans is obviously lying to you he did something and thats the interesting thing about him we need to know! _

“Hey Tom.” I hear from next to me, and Hadrian is looking at me with a pained look, “What is the hissing? Do you have a snake in your pocket?” He asks, something in him sounds weak and childish.

“I do have a snake in my pocket, do you want to see her?” I ask, something drives me with this without logic, “Her name is-

_ Eagle _

“-Eagle if you want to say hi?” I reach for her before Hadrian interrupts.

“I’m so sorry, but can you put the snake back in your room or something.” He breathes in deeply, “I am afraid of snakes, ok, please can she just be somewhere else. I’m sure Eagle is really nice but my anxiety doesn’t care about that.” He rambles, clenching his eyes as he scoots away from me. The pitious nature reminds me viserally that I am dealing with another cattle, another piece of stock. 

“Yes I can.” I grate out, before walking out to the nearest hallway, and placing Rowena on the floor. With a light blue tingle of the air she reforms as a human, staring daggers at me.

“He knows something Riddle, you claim your use of ,” She looks around, sending waves of blue magic around corners, but finds nothing, “The snake’s tongue. Or something.” She huffs, hands flying around her form in a way that seems mildly panicked and anxious, but I refuse to help her fragile state. 

“If anything he is magic sensitive, you know that you leak magic like a dripping pipe in animagi form.”, I put out a hand to help her up with, “Rowena, we really couldn’t expect to be the only ones.” She grabs it and pulls herself up, digging her short nails into my hand as she does.

“Test it then. Prove your point.” She states, turning around, “But you should know that the ‘claws find everything. No secret left unturned.”

“Am I a special case?” I ask, something turning in me, a burning curiosity.

“No, not in the slightest, n'fact, we probably know more about you than you do. However, Evans is.” She looks back at me, “Stop treating this like you’re indoctrinating a new member and start working.” She walks away, turning the corner in barely the time it takes to say the shortest word.

I walk back in the room to the sight of Evans scrawling away essay, barely giving attention until I louden my footsteps at which he looks up, “Thanks for putting away your snake, those things seriously give me the creeps.”

“Why?” I ask, taking the essay as it is handed to me and absent mindedly correcting the errors, some on bad word choice, but most on the mixing up of some spells for other spells.

“My friend engorgioed a snake when I was twelve, it bit me right before exploding due to its own body heat.” he states as if recounting the weather as he absentmindedly sketches with a muggle pencil, untucking a silver bracelet before pulling down his right sleeve to a large pitch black circular scar, “Could never look at the blasted things the same way again.”

“Who was this friend?” I ask, something driving me to ask but feeling the bluntness of my own words.

“Ron, but why would you care.” He looks up at the clock, “Anyway I am going to go bugger off because its the end of this. See you.” He hastily gathers his things into his bag before leaving, but the page he was drawing on just flutters to the floor through his notice. 

Hadrian leaves, and just then I remember to look at his magic, I open my eyes to the world of magic and glance at the endless black void that my magic takes as it's shape, but seeing nothing but the barest traces of fiery red magic where Evans was. I focus on this small ember for far too long before snapping out of the stupor.

The sketch on the floor features an eyeless snake either dead or calm, strange markings might indicate puddles of water or blood. I tuck this drawing in my pocket as I race to get to the court meeting on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that Tom doesn't feel too out of character, but this is the way I interpret him instead of the view that the books paint him as an infallible weird quasi demon god. He sort of embodies the spirit of slytherin, as Rowena is the ravenclaw.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me anything you like/ dislike about the fic. Any comments are appreciated, so comment anything you want.


End file.
